Tunnel liner segment



A. E. WILKOFF TUNNEL LINER SEGMENT Filed May 23,v 1939 fizz/#4... 1

Patented Nov. 9, 1943 2,333,908 :TUNNELLINER SEGMENT Arthur E. Wilkoff, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Youngstown Steel Car Corporation, Niles, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,296

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to tunnel liner segments, particularly to plates of wrought iron or steel adapted to be assembled in tubular form for the lining of tunnels and the like, and the invention aims generally to improve the construction of existing liner plates, such as shown in my prior Patent No. 2,077,137, granted April 13, 1937.

Among the important advantages of the invention is the provision of an improved liner plate v that may be readily pressed or drawn from a blank of metal, provided with means facilitating the erection of the plates and also preventing seepage of earth at the joints between the plates. The invention further aims to provide an improved thrust member of new design to reinforce the plates against jacking thrusts.

Illustrative of one embodiment of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an improved liner plate according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side edge View thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of one corner construction; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of an assembly of a plurality of plates.

The tunnel liner plate [0, according to the invention, may be of the conventional shape, that is, substantially rectangular in plan, and curved longitudinally to provide a segment of a tubular tunnel lining.

Advantageously the liner segment I0 is pressed from a single blank of metal providing a back or skin plate ll, reinforced longitudinally by upstanding reinforcing ribs l2, and integral depending side and end flanges l3 and I4 joined together by rounded corners [5.

The use of rounded corners, as at l5, facilitates drawing of the liner plate without ruptur of the metal, while maintaining the integral side and end flanges of full depth. However, when a plurality of plates are joined together in staggered relation, as shown in Fig. 6, small openings occur at the corners between adjacent plates.

These small openings formed at the corner junctures between adjacent plates may advantageously be closed by means of closure plates welded to the skin plate at one corner as at 5, and at one side as at 16*, intermediate the length of the plate. The plates 16 and I6 are disposed on the same side of the liner segment In so as to leave the opposite side edge clear of projections that might interfere with the use of jacks during jacking operations. The closure plate I6 is secured to the plate 10 in such manner that it extends beyond the side flange l3 as well as beyond the end flange I4, and the side closure plate l6 extends only beyond the side flanges of the segment. These two plates overlie" the adjoining portions of adjacent plates, when the plates are bolted together in staggered relation, as in Fig.

I 6, so that all corner openings are fully covered.

To reinforce the plates against buckling due to jacking pressures, I provide each plate with a central thrust member 20 welded at spaced points to the inner or under surface of the skin plate. The thrust bar 20 is preferably V-sh'aped, as for example, an angle bar, the ends 2| of which abut the side flanges 13, the end corners being radiused as at 22 to fit the fillet between the skin plate and side flange.

The thrust bar 20 is constructed with opposed divergent sides 23 connected by a fillet 24, the upper edges of the angle bar being welded to the skin plate at points 25 intermediate the reinforcing ribs 12. The bar 20 is substantially the same depth as the side flanges so that the center of the segment is transversely reinforced by a V- shaped thrust member extending from the lower edges of the side flanges upwardly in diverging relation to opposite sides of the transverse medial plane of the segment. The included angle between the divergent sides 23 should be, for best results, less than preferably substantially 60, as I find that an angled thrust bar of 60 included angle will withstand greater jacking pressures, than is possible with an angle bar of 90, of the usual type, and of the same thickness of metal.

Having described one preferred embodiment of the invention, I claim as new:

1. A tunnel lining comprising a staggered assemblage of pressed metal liner plates, each having a skin portion and continuous upstanding side and end flanges, the corners of said flanges at 7 their junctures being relieved providing openings between adjacent plates, a closure plate welded to the skin plate midway of its length and projecting laterally beyond one side only of the plate, a second closure plate welded to the skin plate and projecting laterally beyond the same side and also beyond the end of the plate, said combined closure plates providing closure means overlying the openings at the corner junctures between adjacent plates.

2. A wrought metal tunnel liner segment comprising a curved skin plate and continuous side adjacent liners when a plurality of rows of liners are assembled in staggered relation.

3. A wrought metal tunnel liner segment vcomprising a curved skin plate and continuous side and 'end flanges integral therewith, said skin plate being formed with a plurality of upwardly arched,

longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs spaced from each other and from 1 the marginal side flanges of said liner, the portions of said skin plate intermediate said spaced ribs being substantially flat and disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane astransversely aligned por tions of the marginalside portions betweenthe ribs and flanges. a V-shapeduthrust: member mounted within said linfen segment with its ends abutting opposed side flanges, the edges of said thrust member being welded to said intermediate surfaces and marginal sides, said V-shaped thrust member having an included angle of approximately 60 degrees and reinforcing said liner against collapse due to jacking pressure.

ARTHUR E. WILKOFF. 

